LA Kings: Could late OHL start date force Quinton Byfield onto roster?

The OHL announced its 2020-2021 season start date. Could the late start have implications on the LA Kings’ Opening Night roster?

A February 4 start date for the 2020-2021 OHL season was teased ahead of Wednesday’s GM’s Meeting. As it stands, that rumor proved true, as the league announced training camps will officially open on January 23. With the NHL and the LA Kings season still targeting a December 1 start date – although January 1 appears more realistic at this point – might this have an impact on who makes the team’s Opening Night roster?

Since being taken with the second overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, the debate has been where Quinton Byfield will begin his professional career. The Head Scout for Eastern Canada felt that Byfield doesn’t need any more time in Sudbury.

Doing so may stunt his development. Without knowing the start date for the AHL or other corresponding leagues, the NHL might be forced to expand rosters this season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

That would open up the doors for a number of potential scenarios to play out. Of course, Byfield can make the team out of camp with a stellar performance in practice and the exhibitions, proving that no time below the NHL is necessary.

Byfield isn’t the only one that an expanded roster could play favorably for. Arthur Kaliyev is closer to the Kings’ roster than some other fellow OHL players, but it remains uncertain if he’ll begin in the OHL or jump to the AHL’s Ontario Reign in the 2020-2021 season.

I suppose, in some weird scenario, that Byfield could crack the Kings’ Opening Night roster, plugging in at either the 3C or 4C for now. Obviously, as he continues to progress, Byfield is projected to be atop the Kings’ first line in the future.

The other option for Byfield is to play overseas to begin his professional career. If the Kings’ are certain that they want their top pick to get at least another year of development while waiting to begin the clock on his three-year entry-level contract, being loaned to the SHL might make a lot of sense.

Aside from Alexis Lafreniere, I think you’re going to see a lot of earlier promotions this coming season because of other leagues’ late starts or inability to find playing time elsewhere. Byfield could be among those.

Hopefully, we get a sense of when the NHL season will begin. The AHL, ECHL, etc. should follow shortly after a formal decision has been made.